Microsoft's Build Conference returns to Seattle on May 7

Microsoft's Build developer's conference returns to Seattle, Washington on May 7-9. Registration for developers opens on February 15, 2018. Build was usually held in the Bay Area but is now heading back to Microsoft's home state.

Expected to be discussed at Build are the upcoming versions of Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, including Windows on ARM and hopefully a glimpse of some new hardware, possibly a sneak peak at the anticipated 'Andromeda' folding tablet with telephony device.

Nest will now be part of Google

With companies fighting to bring its artificial intelligence technology into its products, the latest move from Google’s parent company Alphabet makes sense. Nest will be merged into Google’s hardware team with its current CEO Marwan Fawaz reporting directly to Google Hardware SVP Rick Osterloh. This merger, according to Google, will allow them to “combine hardware, software, and services” between the two companies with “Google’s artificial intelligence and the Assistant at the core.” But this doesn’t mean the Nest brand is going away, at least according to CNET. The merger was also supposedly years in the making with the two teams reportedly combining its supply chain teams back in 2016. Also, it must be noted that during the “Made By Google” Pixel 2 launch, the Nest got a spot in there, where the integration of Google Assistant into Nest products were discussed.

Source: Ars Technica

Tip on how to stop websites on Chrome from displaying its incessant notification prompt

Chrome notifications seem like a good idea until a lot sites started to support them and now you’ll get the pop-up notification every single time you open a new site that supports it. You can block these individually but that would be a time-consuming task. To completely shut this feature off, you just need to head to this link and flip the toggle from “Ask before sending” to “Blocked.” For those on Android, you just need to head to Settings in Chrome and head to Advanced and then locate Site Settings. From there tap on Notifications and you’ll see the toggle “Ask before sending” and flip that again to “Blocked.”

Source: Android Police

Microsoft's Cortana is now available on iPad

iPad users now have another personal assistant or A.I. to consider in Microsoft's Cortana. Cortana has been available on the iPhone for some time, Microsoft has tailored Cortana's user interface to suit the iPad's larger screen, a laudable change (cough, cough, Instagram). 

Upon installation, Cortana asks for location permission, access to calendars as well as a list of interests. If you use Cortana on Windows 10, having it on your iPad will be seamless. iOS now has Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and now Cortana available to users.